Axe The Exes
by Castleshortfiction
Summary: Beckett and Castle find themselves in quite a quandary when murders go sideways
1. Chapter 1

She sat there, her head throbbing like a hangover after a three day bender. Steady dull ringing shot through her brain, cascading throbbing pulses behind her eyelids. Her mind hazy, not able to focus, everything seems to be a blur. Where  
was she anyway. She sat, palms of her hands cupping her face, elbows resting on her knees. Giant dry sobs reek out of her chest. She wants to cry but she has no more tears.

Her ass hurts. Not in any weird way, just from sitting too long on a hard surface. She tries to adjust to get more comfortable but just makes it worse. Dropping one hand from her face, she reaches down next to herself, inadvertently  
slapping a cold stone like surface. Stretching her hand out, she best guesses it is eighteen inches wide and unless the small of her back is lying, being pressed up against a cinder block wall and sitting on a concrete shelf.

And it is dark, well maybe not dark but dim. The yellowed plastic covers of the long fluorescent lights give off an eerie amber hue. It's cold, and damp and dingy. Why is she there keeps repeating over and over in get psyche. What  
gave I done?

Why?

She shakes her head trying to clear some cobwebs. She internally screams to herself "You're a detective, DETECT!" Instinctively, she rubs her eyes and shakes her head but it only increases the throbbing. She wants to cry but knows it  
will do no good. Instead, she gives herself a pep talk. "You must recall every detail no matter how small or insignificant, no matter how embarrassing, no matter how personal ."

Rising, she begins to pace the cramped eight by eight square imprisoning her. "What did I do last?" She questions herself. Not coming up with an answer, she tries to get back to some of her interrogation methods. Yes. She needs to interrogate  
herself. "What does she remember last?" Scratching her scalp mindlessly, she still paces. Setting a structured timeline, she feels a 48 hours time gap will help get focus.

"Ok Wednesday, what happened? Right, we finally solved that bizarre case, the one with two murderers and only one victim. The team, with an assist from robbery detective Tom Demming, pulled that one out. She remembers going to file the  
charges, walking down the hall with purpose, reviewing the form when she smacked right into the detective. Clutching her forearms to balance her, he then pulled her close, setting his ready lips upon hers. The kiss was brief, almost chaste  
then she felt herself lean in again with with which he responded with a hard, full mouth embrace, tracing her lips for entry, and once succeeding, dueled fiercely with her tongue until breaking, gasping for oxygen. She sat quickly, blushing  
from the memory.

The memory is coming back more clear as she works hard at remembering. She remembers clasping his hands in hers, he warmly responding. Her cheeks shade rosey, thinking about gazing into his cobol blue eyed. Then spinning on her heel  
to return to her desk, giggling slightly while twirling her hair.

Thinking hard, she remembered the team asking her out for a celebratory drink, which she declined, wanting to get the paperwork complete while fresh in her mind. Starting the process, the boys said goodnight and made their way to the elevator. Demming  
snuck up behind her, but she knew. Messaging her shoulders, she asked if she was ready to leave. As the elevator door slid shut she could hear goodbye wishes from Espo and Ryan but not the third party leaving. And for some reason  
it only bothered her just now, not hearing from the third person.

She ponders further, bristling at Tom for suggesting Remy's. No! she barked back. That place was special and she knows why. They settled on Thai food, a place across town where they would unlikely run into anyone from the 12th. They  
hailed a cab once out of the precinct. Tom allowed her to get in first, but felt his eyes lazering onto her backside and was not sure if she liked it. But isn't that the reaction she wanted? Why else wear those tight skinny jeans  
with the four inch spike boots? If she were being honest, she knew, she did pause an extra second to make sure he got a good peek. She pondered the memory, right, she nodded to herself, every little detail.

They sat close in the back seat, holding hands for the ride. He seemed like the perfect gentleman. Intertwining his fingers with hers, he made gentle swirling circles on the pad of her palm, relaxing her greatly. He gracefully rested  
his hand down on her upper thigh as if it were nothing. She gave it a moment of thought but chose to leave them there. It felt good, natural, as if she found someone she could be with long term, she remembered.

Arriving just after 8, Tom requested a booth in the back where they could have some privacy. She ordered a double Mekhong straight up while Tom, mostly a beer drinker, ordered a Singha. And being quite famished, he quickly added a plate of  
beef satay to share. By the time the appetizer arrived, she had drained her spirits and quickly ordered another causing Demming to give her a look.

After taking a sip from the second drink, she began to recant the details of the most bizarre care she had in years. Two killers and one victim. And Demming was instrumental in helping solve it. The banter over every trivial detail kept  
their conversation lively. She enjoyed their interaction on the case and really was developing feelings for him over the last month that they have dated. She remembered them holding hands while finishing off each other's sentences while  
rehashing the play by play only to be interrupted by the waitress for their dinner orders. She thought to herself that was not important then corrected herself. Details! Every detail she screamed inside her head.

Demming ordered the Ka-Prow she acknowledged while she had the shrimp dish, what was that? Oh yea, she had Koong Pad Prik. And ordered her third Mekhong double. She seemed to think she saw an interesting look on Demmings face when she  
ordered it. She struggled to understand his facials.

Dinner conversation turned light and breezy. Demming took control much to her delight. Oh the conversation was good. She loved the way his eyes lit up as he spoke. What did they chat about anyway? She strained her grey matter  
to bring it back. Was it important? Yes, she decided, maybe even very important. She sat back down, squirming to find a comfy spot for her rear and failing miserably. Returning to her stoic pose of hands on cheeks and elbows  
on knees she searched her soul for the essence of their banter.

"Rewind back", she admonished herself, "dinner, drinks, case post MORTEM, then something fun". Yes, fun talk. His eyes were bright and dare I say, hopeful. Hopeful of what? He had gotten more touchy, more feely. "Wait, he drew  
something on the back of the placemat! A map!" Then it comes to her. "Asbury Park, his family has a house down there a block off the ocean!" Her mind is flooded with the dialogue. He regaled her with the fine feel of the white  
sand, the excellent resturants, especially Kelly`s that served the best steaks south of Peter Lugar's. He got more personal in the tone she muses, talked of seeing Beaver Brown at the Stone Pony as they were the holiday weekend showcase. She  
smiled as she saw his excitement describing all of it.

But what did that have to do with where she is now, sitting on a concrete slab in solitude. "He suggested offhandedly that she to go with him to Asbury Park this weekend!" She shockingly shouted out loud. What did she reply? She  
doesn't remember.

Tom had dessert and coffee and she had her forth double. The bill came and Kate fought to pay then offered to split it. Finally she demanded she leave the tip which went unheeded. He opened up the bill fold and let out a low whistle.  
She hoped these details were important in the grand scheme of things. Then she felt her anger rise remembering his comment under his breath, saying the she would make it up to him in another way.

They hailed a cab back across town. Once again, Tom thinking he was chivalrous allowing her to enter first, this time placing a hand in her backside ever so subtly. Once inside, he linked their hands together initially. After a few beats,  
he reached over and brushed her lips with a gentle kiss saying he had a great time tonight. Hands still together, he once again dropped them on her upper thigh. He tilted his head and began kissing her long supple neck. She was beginning  
to get flushed with the memory, especially that she let out a small moan when he luckily hit her sensitive spot. She remembers pulling his chin up and capturing his lips fully, tracing his seam for entry. She squirmed in place uncomfortable  
with the memory. Once gaining entry they dueled ferociously with their tongues for what seemed like an eternity, until they reached her apartment.

Feeling the taxi suddenly come to a stop, she released his mouth and tried to exit. Demming jumped out his side first and offered her a hand of assistance. He then excused the cab much to her surprise, yet not really to her displeasure she  
recalls. She insisted on walking her to her door claiming profusely that he was a true renaissance man. He held her hand for the ride up to her floor, getting out and pacing the steps toward her door. Reaching 5E she turned  
to him, touching his waist with both hands, leaving a wisp of a kiss in his lips, thanking him for a terrific evening and that she would see him tomorrow at the precinct.

In dismay bordering on horror, she brings back the next memory. He leaned hard into her, the front door bowing from the pressure. His lips crushing hers, his tongue like a crowbar prying for entry. Kate has to stand now, her feelings  
swelling up in her and pacing the cramped stall may help settle her. Next she remembers submitting to his pressure and relaxing into the kiss. His hands explored her, down her back with his left, around her hip with his right. Embarrassingly,  
she had to admit she did enjoy it.

Next, he skillfully nudged his knee between her thighs, almost reaching her core. She felt herself involuntarily pulsating herself upon the knee and thigh, catching her breath between succulent kisses. Snapping back to reality, her cheeks  
were full red and she felt a sensation in her lower region. She was not sure what she was more embarrassed about, her teasing and leading him on, if the fact they were still in the hallway, in public.

"Maybe" she considered "he felt he could capitalize on me having four drinks". He had no idea of her capacity for alcohol as she could drink like a sailor on shore leave. No she concluded she was a bit horny. What happened next, she  
struggled with.

"Let me in" she distinctly recalled Tom saying as he fumbled with the button of her jeans. Confused, she was unsure if he meant her pants or her apartment. He bit down on her neck causing her to thrust forward. Slowly losing her struggle  
with virtue every minute they embrace, she snapped out of her LOVE HAZE when she felt a sand papery small tongue licking her ankle.

"ARCHIE!" She remembers exclaiming, breaking her grasp of Tom's hair and neck. She leaned down to pet the little pup, a beautiful Pomeranian. "Archie, come back here" his owner ordered. Smoothing down her shirt and re-clasping her pants  
with her back to Mrs. Everett, her overly observant neighbor. She reached down to scratch behind the dog's ears as the owner waddled over to secure him for his nightly walk. Once firmly on his leash, she relinquished control.

Reaching back up to a bewildered Demming, leaving a peck on his cheek, she escaped inside her apartment securing the three locks before Tom knew what happened.

Sitting once again on the stone, she knows she dodged a bullet but has no idea what or why.


	2. Castle Confined

Whack! Reverberated throughout the cramped space. For a second time, his fist encountered the concrete wall but this time he may have succeeded in breaking bones in his knuckles.

"F*ck" he screamed out, shaking his hand profusely, the pain excruciating, his stupidity numbing. Not knowing what he thinks he will accomplish, he rears back again for a third time before his brain finally engages before he follows through.

He has no idea how he got here, he knows it is a holding cell. Last time Beckett cuffed him it was more fun. He remembers fondly it was their first case when he borrowed files from her without permission and under false pretenses. She  
tracked him down at the New York Public Library with the help of his mom. Slapped the cuffs on. That was back when he was Bad Boy Rick, the Playboy with the devil may care attitude. Back then she would have been a helluva conquest,  
but she knew better. It was different this time, same place except this time he doesn't remember Kate arresting him.

Why can't he remember. His head us fuzzy, his ears ringing, his arms bruised and battered. He searches his neck for needle marks but finds none perceptible to the touch. How did he pass the last several hours? So many questions?

What is happening, what is the story? Yes! The story! He always admonishes Beckett to see the story. He's the writer, craft the story! First though, he decides he needs a timeline, something Beckett engrained into him for  
authenticity. Where to start?

Realistically he needs to go back 48 hours. But for his sanity, it should be four weeks. What happened, he keeps asking himself over and over again. Finally having an epiphany, he shouts out DEMMING, and keeps repeating the  
name over and over again each time slightly more softly. Tom fricken Demming. That is where this story starts! Castle knows how to do this.

He flips through the catalogue of events in his brain to the day Demming showed up at the 12th. He had the balls to ask if Kate was available. Castle hated himself for saying yes, knowing the truth was the better route especially in this case.  
He wasn't her boyfriend, hell he couldn't even say they were really friends but he was working towards it. Plus he has no claim on her, especially after the Ellie Monroe fiasco. No Kate deserved her private live not to be tampered  
with even if it killed Castle internally. He interceded once with her mom's investigation and learned a harsh lesson courtesy of the fine detective. Plus why does he even think he is worthy of the extraordinary Katherine Beckett?

But man, he never thought it would blossom so quickly, Beckett and Demming. They sparred together, pushing each other's limits. Snuck out to grab a dirty water dog at the cart on the corner of the block, something she refused doing with Castle.  
Took him to interrogate a suspect then came back playfully knocking into each other as they shared a bag of gourmet popcorn unique to Central Park. He could go on he thought, so he did, he needed to get all his feelings out. She  
smiled easily around him, laughed at his off the cuff remarks. Oh how could he forget the candlelight Chinese dinner in the conference room while catching up on paperwork. Then making sure Rick new about them sharing a cab home. Bringing  
her morning coffee, that was his special hello each morning! God he really disliked Schlemming!

But he could let all that slide if Kate was truly happy. And if outward appearances were any indication, this was the happiest Beckett has ever been since he met her.

For Castle, Wednesday was the day from hell, the worst since he began tagging along. Anything and everything that could go bad did! They had the case everyone dreads, the one where no resolution seems possible. But the bad part, he wasn't  
even a shadow on that day, he may as well have been invisible and mute. No riding shotgun on this time, instead, he had to find his own way to the crime scene, getting there as it was being wrapped and the body prepared for transport to  
the morgue. DEMMING.

His next kick to the nads happened when he got back to the precinct and found Demming sitting, first in his chair, then his corner of the desk he used to observe the murder board. WTF? Mumbling that it could not get any worse, Espo dragged  
in a suspect, tossing him into interrogation room 1. Castle sauntered over, ready to join Beckett on the grilling only to have a paw press against his chest stopping him. Demming again! What hurt most? Kate told him to view it from  
the observation room.

Later, he made two coffees for himself and Beckett per their usual routine when they analyzed the murder board together but he was stopped dead in his tracks. Did his eyes deceive him? No, there was Kate and Tom developing theory like he used  
to with her. Being dense by nature, he joined them, ascertaining their progress and trying to add his thoughts to the mix. He did not know what hurt more, the shooting down of his ideas before being fully developed or when they just flat  
out ignored him. Either set him off, he believed that was just rude in his opinion.

But he couldn't be more sure that the one he identified was the killer, yet Demming could say the same. Finally Kate put the two theories together, Castle felt she did it just to humor him and to shut him up. In her surprise, both men were  
right, just slightly askew on their timelines. Rick knew two killers and one victim would make it into one of his Nikki Heat books. Castle stepped out for a bit as Kate finally put it all together. When he returned he got the news  
the case closed from Espo.

He remembered distinctly asking "where is Beckett? I want to congratulate her on solving the case"

Esposito had nodded and said "filing the charges ". So Rick took off for the booking desk. About ten steps in he stopped dead in his tracks, the image branded into his memory. There in front of him, in the archway of the records room, he saw  
Beckett with her back to him and Demming facing outward from the door. And they shared a kiss! Stunned, he never, ever saw Kate involved in a Public Display of Affection especially at the precinct. Then, she leaned in for another!  
A very passionate one with Demmings hands on her ass!

Totally stunned and frozen in place, his mind reeling. Finally he escaped into the sanctuary of the break room, finding the seat furthest from the door, pretending to play angry birds on his phone in case she stopped in. When a moment went  
by and he did not see her, he slid to a seat with a better view, but he quickly regretted it. He could see her hands clasping Demmings warmly, with slight shake of acknowledgement. Then she turned on her heel, a big smile on her face,  
almost giddy, hips swaying on the back to her desk, curling her hair like she does when very happy.

It was too much for Rick. He just sat there watching from a distance as she did her paperwork. Finally deciding to be a man about it, he went to his chair, sat down and recited his congratulatory speech, insuring he mentioned how much he learned  
on this case. She accepted his words graciously and he bid goodnight. He noticed her face dropped when he did not say " until tomorrow"

Castle caught up with Ryan and Esposito at the elevator but as a last mocking of him, the doors were slow to close and he got to see Demming message her shoulders and a ask if she was ready to leave. Incredibly, she dropped her pen on the  
small stack of papers, grabbed her purse and jacket and clearly said "let's get going"

Emerging from the precinct, the cool spring air of May punched him in the jaw, a rude wake up call for sure. He decided he would walk tonight although the loft was fifteen blocks down and three avenues west of the 12th. The solitude  
would do him good, he remembers thinking, and thinking is what he did. Lots of it. About life, Alexis, Martha, the guys, Kate but mostly that rat bastard, Demming!

Back at the loft, failing to be hungry for the nice dinner Alexis made him, and two aborted attempts to write about Rook and Heat, he made a short work of the better part of a bottle of Glenlivit before passing out on his laz-y-boy recliner in the office.  
His last thoughts were "Life really does suck" 


	3. Welcome Intrusion

Trying to judge time, Beckett considered herconfinement to be at least two hours now. After letting her mind wander aimlessly for a bite she tried to regain her focus on the timeline of events leading her to where she sat. Picking up hertrain of  
/thought at the break of a new day she assembled every detail.

Kate hadn't slept particularly well the night before, tossing and turning over the day's events. Kissing Tom in the precinct was risky but she thought she escaped any harm. Then dodging Demming's advances. "He seemed awfully aggressive, didn'the"

she mused. But she enjoyed their activities and could see a possibility of advancing them. Tom does for sure, she had the feeling. No, Tom really wasn't causing her restlessness, she ascertained.

No, it was Castle. "What happened" she wondered. We solved a rough case, had great teamwork and nailed the both of them. "A job well done, I say" congratulating herself once more. No Castle acted weird at the end of the night. More weird than normal,  
/like weird for him. Perplexed, she scanned her brain for a trigger. One not presenting itself, she did think Castle's departure to be off, sullen, resigned. She still remained bothered by him not sayinggoodnight when Espo and Ryan had. What

the hellwas that anyway? Struggling for some insight, she comes up empty.

Spending way too much time in deliberation, she put herself in the position of running late to work. Scrambling quickly, she remembers picking comfortable clothes. She pulled on a black cotton turtleneck shirt and black dress pants with ametal clasp  
/and button waist. She furred her eyebrows in trying to understand why a turtleneck around Memorial Day. She blushed, remembering their impromptu make out session at her front door where he left a nice little remembrance atthe base of her neck.  
/The shirt kept the Neanderthals at bay. "No need to feed the animals!" She knew

The uneventful trip to the station got her there right on time, well her on time, 8am. The other say shift detectives wandered in around 9. Espo and Ryan included. Greeting her at the desk was the mountain of paperwork she left the night beforewhen  
/taking off with Demming. Letting out a huge sigh, she grabbed her Mount Blanc and started in. After several paged were complete, coffee depravation set in. Normal, her plucky sidekick err partner would be there with her grandeskin latte with

two pumps if sugar free vanilla. Looking at her dad's watch then, for confirmation, the large wall clock, she knew it would be there soon.

It turned into 10 am and she wondered where either of her men were. By now Demming would have assaulted the expresso machine for another jolt and Castle should havesatisfied her caffeine craving, yet both are wound wanting. But she wantedher

fix, especially now that the remnants of the double murder were filed and closed.

She daydreamed at her desk for a bit, startled somewhat at the entrance of Castle. He saunters over and overtly plops down in his well worn chair, fisting a designer coffee. One designer coffee. That HE is sipping from. After impulsivelyreaching

out for it, she finally realizes he did not bring her one. She tried to hide the hurt look she portrays but knows it failed. The wrenching in her gut betrayed her also, this stung badly, yet it was only coffee.

Before she could wallow further in her self pity, he phone tweeted that a body dropped in Central Park. Gunshot wounds, five to be specific from a sniper rifle. Precise wound, looked professional, likely from a distance. Motivewould be elusive for  
/now as the victim had his wallet, money, jewelry, car keys and hotel key card still on his person. A cell phone laid a foot or so away just beyond his out stretched arm and hand. More interesting to Kate was the killer cleanedup after himself,  
/removing the slugs from a nearby tree they were embedded in after passing through the poor bastard's body.

The name was an alias and his company I'd card came from a non existent firm. She smirks to herself remembering Castle shouting that he was CIA. Barking out orders now, she directed Ryan and two uni's to canvass the park Nd quiz the homeless. She

sent Espo off to try to find the car attracted to the keys they found. Lanie had already left with the boys to get down to it. With that done, she dragged Castle back to the precinct.

The ride back was silent. Kate deliberated on castle's demeanor. For the life of her she could not understand why he was not more excited over this case. This one should have made Rick giddily like a girl. But it didn't, he seemednonchalant, distant  
/,even bored. And it bothered her greatly, it could be the one case to get the two of them back on track with the investigations and with each other. Hell even she was curious more than normal about this one.

But he wasn't. Why not? It had everything he could ever ask. Espionage, fake id's, phony corporations, address of said company was smack dab in the middle of the Hudson River. She conjures up even more tidbits. The car was found,and a search revealed  
/5000 euros. Then a Bond-like pen that exploded after revealing the mission, it'll they chose to do so. The mission came straight from a 1950's Mickey Spillane yarn, meeting up with a covert agent with code phrases

and all. Not to mention an FBI handler!

Shaking her head solemnly as the lack of any spark within Castle, it was he who cracked the "informant" to reveal this whole case was a spy-cation gone sideways. Now that they knew they were not saving the world and the man killed was not007" James  
/Bond himself she started putting the murder board together with everything they had. Something broke her concentration if she was not mistaken. "Right, Gina called me since Castle had been avoiding her. "Shecontinuedin her mind "The one

positive from their chat is now she knew she would torture Castle. The new book was titled Naked Heat".

The next few hours had them interviewing employees of Spyventures, chasing other leads, some that were dead ends like to counterfeit identification cards. Lunch would be as they worked so Demming took advantage and brought Kate a turkey club anda

Coca Cola and discussed where she was in the case. She did not recall where Castle went off to, and actually she hadn't paid it any consideration before now. Espo had brought it to her attention that the victims partner had severe financialissues  
/and wanted to sell his piece of the business but got shut out. That information lead to bringing the victims wife and business partner in for questioning.

And again Kate could not believe Castle did not make a big deal over their alibis. He never missed a beat on something like this. The dearly departed's wife was having an affair with the partner and, the cherry on the cake normally for Castle,their  
/shades were up and windows open and a half dozen neighbors corroborated their alibi ever so embarrassingly.

Later, as the day wound down and their big lead fizzled. Castle found his way back to Kate's side. They studied the board for like an eternity even though it was closer to thirty minutes. And they were lost, stuck at a dead end. Bond theme

song blared into the stunningly still bullpen, snapping Castle and Beckett from their funk. Castle reached for his phone and read the messages.

Kate clearly remembers asking what they were and could recite the response verbatim

"No call, reminders. Listen Beckett, I going to have to go". She knew he could see disappointment in her eyes.

"Taking Alexis to her favorite place for dinner in a few minutes. God I will miss her so much!"

Just then she remembered Castle bragging on and on how she got into bag summer program a Villanova and he was driving her down tomorrow. The reminder further confirmed her actionof not givingCastle the time of day, one she has some remorse

for.

"And then the boys, Patterson, Lehane, Cnnolly, Cannell, are coming over to make their donation to the 'Rick 'Castle beat your ass fund!" Maybe next time they are in town, you could join in!

Kate scoffed at the suggestion, knowing the ante would be about her weekly salary.

Seeing as it approached 7pm, Kate offered that they both shut it down for the night. Castle grabbed his jacket, sweetly offering his trademark salutation "Until Tommorrow" and strode toward the elevator. The doors opened and off bouncedTom Demming,  
/breaking Castle's hopeful good mood. Kate frowned at that sight.

She fondly reminisces how his hands worked out a knot in her shoulder. He did have coordinated hands, bringing another curl of her lips. His distinct voice rang in her ears " Let's get out of here" sounding more primal than he likely

pondered further.

Kate rose from her sitting position, grasped Tom's hands "I'm sorry Tom but I am going to have a me night tonight". With that, Kate gave him a brush of the lips, reaching into her desk for keys and whatnot. Demming caught her off guard withanother  
/kiss, this one graduating into a full blown heat of passion embrace lasting quite long. When breaking apart, Kate thought she saw a smugness filter across his facial exterior, one that dismayed her. He then proved her notion correctby saying

"Think of THAT while you are home alone!"

Even now, in her confinement and slightly confused, she did not understand what he was getting at with that comment. Once home, she would commence with her "Kate time". She ran the water for a bath, bringing it up to temp while she changedout of

her work clothes. Once the tap ran just north of scalding, she put the plug in and added her bubbles. Going to the kitchen, she snared a goblet from the hutch and a good bottle of red wine. Then, seeing it just laying on theend table, the manuscript  
/for Naked Heat followed her to the tub. Castle had given it to her the weekbefore.

She stayed in the tub until the goblin was drained and the water turned cool, never once opening the bound tome. Toweling off, she wrings out the wet from the ends of her long chestnut hair. Feeling rather comfy, she slips on a white tanktop and

her favorite NYU gym shorts. Now in the kitchen, she refills her glass, takes a large gulp and proceeds to top it again.

Next she figures she went to the couch with the wine and book. Settling in, sipping delicately so not to get drunk too early, she cracks open the first page. Before she knows it, chapter one is finished and is excited for the next. Aloud knock on

her door breaks her concentration on Rook and Heat, she groans while getting up off her very comfortable spot. She wondered who it could be as she did not order any takeout.

Looking through the peep hole, she sees him there. Barely six feet in height, medium built with some muscle tone. Dark black curly hair drooping slightly across his forehead. Eyes squint naturally partially obscuring his cobalt blueeyes and of course  
/the ever present smirk,smile reminiscent of a shit eating grin.

"Demming, what are you doing here?" She remembers blurting out,

Raising the bag from Houng's he couldn't resist "brought you dinner. We have Kung Pau chicken, beef and broccoli, moo shoo pork and fried shrimp."

She remembers hesitating briefly before letting him in. She forgives him for being bold and disrespecting her alone night once the dive into the food. She gets the wine bottle and a beer for Tom. The settle in on the couch chop sticks flailingthru  
/the containers, savoring the cuisine of the Far East. Their initial silence slowly turned into idle conversation, a bit about the recent case, some a out how good a boss Montgomery was. Then Tom broached the topic of the Jersey Shore,once more  
/sounding like a washed up star on a bad infomercial for the town. But ironically, Kate found it endearing, even visualizing the places he fawned over in her head.

A moment passed silently then Demming blurted out " come down the shore with me this weekend!" It was not really a question orca request but a statement, once more a blatant indication he wanted to take this relationship to the next level.

Kate acted impulsively yet vague when she replied "it sounds good". She purposely did not explicitly say yes. But it did sound good. Demmings response was to kiss her, needingly as to prove she chose wisely. She almost blushes againremembering the  
/lip lock. It was hot, sultry, passionate. They continued like love struck teenagers who could not get enough of each other. Tom's lips journeyed to her neck and shoulders then to the top of her cleavage. Comingup for air, he deftly removed the  
/tank top, presenting him with the lovely image of her 34b's.

Now Kate really did not want to remember the next part but she had to. In the heat of things, she planted herself on top of his lap, slowly grinding over his crotch. Tom took it as an invitation and slipped his fingers under the elastic ofher shorts  
/to search for the promised land. With his mouth caressing one breast and his left hand the other, his right index and middle finger found her in great anticipation and bare! Shit she was commando under the shorts! Slipping

them in, she moaned loudly encouraging him forward. She brought her hands down to his zipper, sliding it down and fitting her palm inside, negotiating the fly of his boxers to release his pressure. Smiling to herself, she thought, "thiswill

do, more than adequate". But she knew that from all the mat wrestling they did whole sparring as he could not control his primal indication.

Now knowing she would NEED to solidify the relationship as Tom slipped the gym shorts off easily, too easily she considered. Pulling down his jeans and boxers, he secured her hips as he guided her over his manhood. She was lost in lust andwanted

badly to feel him inside her but in a moment of clarity, she raised up his chin asking

"Got protection?"

To which a blank stare was returned

"Condoms? Trojans?"

All he could blurt out was "I assumed you were on the pill, on birth control?"

The moment broken, Kate slid off his lap, explaining she had not been on the pill since her breakup with Will Sorenson. She actually was angry at him for wanting sex but not being responsible. It was one of her golden rules. It made her thinkhe

did not care for her well being as to protect her, protect them both. It didn't matter to get that she could have gone to her nightstand and procured one or two. No that was his responsibility.

Silently, Tom put himself back together Kate tugged on her night ware. She could see he was put out but she also thought she could see a level of understanding also. A small naughty thought seeped into get brain, "bet he never forgets themagain".,  
/finishing her thoughtwith "Maybe we can try that again over the weekend!"

Tom made his way to the front door and Kate followed to lock up. He bravely reached in for a final kiss a brief one that was reciprocated. After a promise to see each other at the precinct, she locked up, grabbed the wine and the manuscriptand made  
/her way to bed.


End file.
